IDF Launches First Phase of Gaza City Invasion as Netanyahu Approves Conquest Plans
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Wednesday that it has begun the initial stages of its long-anticipated invasion of Gaza City, with troops already controlling the outskirts of the enclave’s largest urban center.
Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin, the IDF spokesman, said the operation is being carried out alongside measures to facilitate the evacuation of civilians and the provision of aid and medical care. To support the effort, some 60,000 call-up orders for reservists are being issued this week, with an additional 20,000 expected later in the month.
Khan Yunis Ambush
Defrin also addressed a Hamas raid on an IDF encampment in Khan Yunis, in which more than 15 militants attempted to infiltrate the post. The attackers were repelled, but three soldiers were wounded, including one in serious condition from the Kfir Brigade’s 90th Battalion.
“The military is investigating how the incident occurred,” Defrin said, while praising the soldiers who neutralized most of the assailants.
Prophetic Significance
A Vision of a Land Without “Hamas”
Some Bible prophecy teachers see the removal of Hamas from power as aligning with the promise in
Isaiah 60:18:
“Violence (‘Hamas’ in Hebrew) shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.”
In Hebrew, the word translated as “violence” is ḥāmās, the same word used by the terror group’s name. For many, this passage offers a hopeful vision of a future where the land is free from terrorist violence, its defenses secure, and its gates marked by worship and peace. As Israel pushes deeper into Gaza City, some believe this could foreshadow the fulfillment of that promise.
Netanyahu Approves Gaza City Offensive
On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had approved the IDF’s plans for the takeover of Gaza City, describing the operation as a “decisive stage” in Israel’s war effort.
“We are at a decisive stage. I arrived today at the Gaza Division to approve the plans presented by the IDF and the Defense Minister for the takeover of Gaza City and the defeat of Hamas,” Netanyahu said. He emphasized that securing the release of hostages remains inseparable from the military campaign.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined discussions with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir and senior officers on operational planning.
Zamir: Hamas Reduced to Guerrilla Force
Visiting frontline troops in Khan Yunis, Lt.-Gen. Zamir said the IDF has already delivered a “severe blow” to Hamas.
“From the terror army we experienced on October 7, it has become a guerrilla organization,” he told soldiers of the Kfir Brigade and 188th Armored Brigade. “We will continue to strike Hamas everywhere, pursue them as long as needed and wherever needed. Our missions remain the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas; we will not rest and we will not stop until we complete them.”
Hostage Talks and Ceasefire Proposals
The ground push comes as international mediators attempt to secure a hostage deal with Hamas. Egypt and Qatar have presented a framework that includes the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire.
Israeli officials have not explicitly rejected the plan, though Netanyahu has stressed that Israel’s position remains the release of all hostages. “These two objectives–defeating Hamas and securing the release of all our hostages–go hand in hand,” the prime minister said.
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told Fox News that President Donald Trump has insisted negotiations must not drag on. “This conflict must end immediately. Twenty hostages need to be returned to their families. Let’s just end this – bring peace and rebuild Gaza,” Witkoff said.
Humanitarian Preparations
As the military maneuver begins, Israeli officials are coordinating with international aid organizations to manage the humanitarian fallout. Hospitals in southern Gaza are being expanded to absorb evacuees from the north, while additional field hospitals and the reopening of the European Hospital are under discussion.
COGAT, the IDF’s Coordination and Liaison Directorate for the Territories, confirmed agreements with humanitarian groups to bolster deliveries of medical supplies and ensure continuity of care during the offensive.
Security sources say the IDF’s strategy is to isolate Hamas operatives inside Gaza City before moving to dismantle their networks.
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